Afghanistan

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the Independent Commission for Aid Impact's report on programme controls in Afghanistan, they will consider working more closely with non-governmental organisations that deliver services more directly to local communities.

Baroness Northover: The Department for International Development has published the Independent Commission for Aid Impact's report on programme controls and assurance in Afghanistan. This can be found at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications1/ICAI/man-response-Afghanistan.pdf.

Armed Forces: Destroyers and Frigates

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 12 March (WA 3), whether a figure for expected loss rates in complex war-fighting operations was factored into the decision to reduce to 19 the size of the destroyer and frigate fleet in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Lord Astor of Hever: In determining fleet sizes no specific provision is made for the possible loss of ships on war fighting operations. The Royal Navy has lost just four frigates and destroyers to enemy action in the last 50 years, all of which were during the Falklands War, and steps have been taken to learn lessons from these losses.
	Ship design, capability, training and doctrine all play a part in maximising operational effectiveness and help to ensure ship survivability.

Aviation: fly.co.uk

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether fly.co.uk is subject to regulation in the United Kingdom; and, if so, to which regulations.

Baroness Rawlings: A wide range of consumer protection legislation applies to this company's activities in the UK. Complaints about possible breaches of consumer law should be taken up with trading standards in the first instance. They can seek information and obtain action from their counterparts in other member states through the Consumer Protection Co-operation Network, where a trader is established in another member state.

Civil Service: Redundancy

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 19 July 2011 (WA 264-5), whether they will record centrally and publish annually the overall numbers and costs of individual civil service departments' and agencies' redundancies and other early exits published in individual resource accounts, and the total annual cost of such pension payments and lump sums on retirement.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Total amounts payable each year under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme are recorded in the Notes to the Annual Resource Accounts for Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The figures recorded include the cost of any additional pension benefits payable on redundancy or other early exit.

Drought

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how prepared they are to respond to a severe drought in the developing world.

Baroness Northover: As recognised in the Humanitarian Emergency Response Review led by Lord Ashdown last year there is much to be proud of in the way the UK responds to humanitarian emergencies. The report highlighted the challenges we will face in the future, as the number and complexity of humanitarian emergencies increase. In response to the recommendations of the review, we have further developed our preparedness and capacity to respond to emergencies such as drought and increased our capacity to deliver humanitarian assistance through the establishment of new mechanisms such as the recently launched Rapid Response Facility.
	The Department for International Development co-ordinates the UK Government response to humanitarian disasters and emergencies in developing countries. In the event of a disaster or emergency, it works closely with other government departments, international and UN aid agencies and Governments of affected countries to get aid quickly to those who need it most.

Energy: Fuel Poverty

Lord Boswell of Aynho: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent of (1) fuel poverty, and (2) inefficiency of energy use in the rural housing stock, with particular reference to those properties that are not connected to the gas grid; what distinctive problems have been identified as relevant to such rural properties; and what action is being taken to remedy them.

Lord De Mauley: The table below compares all households with rural households and households that are both rural and off the gas grid, as recorded in the English Housing Survey in 2009, which is the latest year for which data are available. It shows the number and percentage of households that are fuel poor in each group, along with the average energy efficiency of each group. The energy efficiency is measured using the standard assessment procedure (SAP05), with higher scores indicating a more energy efficient dwelling (on a scale of 1-100). SAP is also influenced by the cost of heating fuels used by the household, with higher cost fuels generating a low SAP.
	
		
			  Total number of households (thousands) Average SAP rating Number of households in fuel poverty (thousands) % of households in fuel poverty 
			 All households 21,535 53.2 3,964 18% 
			 Rural households 4,229 47.2 965 23% 
			 Rural, off-grid households 1,505 35.0 526 35% 
		
	
	The Government are committed to helping people, especially low-income vulnerable households, including those in rural areas, to heat their homes more affordably. We believe that improving the energy efficiency of the UK's homes will be one of the most effective ways to tackle fuel poverty in the long term through schemes such as Warm Front and the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). Through the CERT extension to the end of 2012, we have included specific incentives for suppliers to deliver solid wall insulation in off-grid locations.
	We have also recently consulted on our proposals for the Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). We have proposed that ECO should include an Affordable Warmth target designed to help those at greatest risk of fuel poverty heat their homes to a healthy level more affordably by improving their heating and insulation. In addition, we have proposed an ECO Carbon Reduction target to provide additional support to those households living in properties which are more expensive to treat. This will support technologies such as solid wall insulation, an important improvement for many rural households. A government response to this consultation will be published in due course.
	Households off the gas grid can access support for renewable heating technologies through the Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme. A second phase of this scheme will open for registration of interest in April 2012 and applications in May 2012.
	The Government are fully committed to renewable heat and work is continuing with the development of the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. In September 2012, we will consult on how we can support renewable heating for households in the longer term. They will set out a firmer timetable for delivering this support at that point and anticipate that this will be from summer 2013.
	In addition the Warm Home Discount scheme was introduced in April 2011 to require energy suppliers to provide support with energy costs worth £1.1 billion by March 2015 to low-income and vulnerable households. In total we expect around 2 million households per year to benefit through the scheme. The majority of support under the scheme will be provided through households' electricity bills, ensuring that eligible households off the gas grid can also access assistance.
	We have also recently received the final report from the Hills Fuel Poverty Review, which was published on 15 March 2012. Professor Hills has proposed a new way of measuring fuel poverty that would define a fuel poor household as one that faces higher than typical costs and that, if it were to pay those costs, would be pushed below the poverty line. He also proposes a fuel poverty gap metric that shows how deeply households are in fuel poverty and the reduction in bills they would need to see to take them out. He found that in 2009, under his proposed measure, 20% of fuel-poor households were from rural areas and the average fuel poverty gap for rural households was £622, compared to £414 for all households. We are currently considering the evidence presented by Professor Hills, and will bring forward government proposals for an updated definition of fuel poverty in summer this year.

Energy: Fuel Storage

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the response by the Fire Brigades Union to the comments by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, about storing petrol in jerry cans; and whether they will issue alternative advice.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Advice on the storage of fuel can be found on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government in which cases the Equality and Human Rights Commission has exercised the power to apply for judicial review of alleged breaches of Convention rights; and what has been the outcome of those applications.

Baroness Verma: Since the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an arm's-length body, the following is based on information it has provided.
	As at 20 March 2012 the EHRC has exercised its power to apply for judicial review in one matter that involved alleged breaches of convention rights.
	This was EHRC v the Prime Minister and Others, a judicial review heard in the Administrative Court, from 28 to 30 June 2011.
	The EHRC's claim did not succeed.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's expenditure during each of the past two years has been spent on using the Commission's powers of assistance and strategic law enforcement to tackle unlawful discrimination; and what is the breakdown of such expenditure.

Baroness Verma: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an arm's-length body; the following is based on information it has provided. The EHRC has spent the following proportion of its expenditure on using the EHRC's powers of assistance and strategic law enforcement to tackle unlawful discrimination:
	2010-11-22% of its total expenditure of £48,142,000;
	2011-12 forecast*-18% of its total expenditure of £45,498.000.
	A breakdown of expenditure is provided in the attached table.
	
		
			 Breakdown of litigation costs including staffing 2010-11 Total 2011-12 (full year) Forecast Grand Total 
			 Solicitors Fees £232,738 £178,353 £411,091 
			 Barristers Fees £780,864 £703,077 £1,483,941 
			 Other Counsel Fees £19,893 £6,420 £26,313 
			 Professional Advice £52,319 £591 £52,909 
			 Legal Services £215,100 £4,900 £220,000 
			 Expert Witnesses £4,192 £0 £4,192 
			 Medical Reports £1,880 £50 £1,930 
			 Court Fees £20,437 £10,375 £30,812 
			 Settlement Costs £88,405 £176,500 £264,905 
			 Practising Certificates £22,037 £10,013 £32,050 
			 Conciliation £295,804 £207,255 £503,059 
			 Salaries £5,134.041 £3,861.513 £8,995,554 
			 Legal Grants £3,662.122 £3,046.226 £6,708,348 
			 Grand Totals £10,529,833 £8,205,273 £18,735,106 
		
	
	* forecast figures are based on the actual spend at 20 March 2012, plus the forecast spend for the remainder of the financial year.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the total expenditure of the Equality and Human Rights Commission during each of the past two years on obtaining legal advice from barristers, advocates and solicitors who are not employed as members of the Commission's staff.

Baroness Verma: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an arm's-length body; the following is based on information it has provided.
	The total expenditure of the EHRC during each of the past two years on obtaining legal advice from barristers, advocates and solicitors who are not employed as members of the EHRC's staff was £1,465,738 in 2010-11 and £1,316,183 in 2011-12*, a total of £2,781.921.
	* year to date figure as at 20 March 2012.

Government: Ministerial Salaries

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 12 March (WA 11-12), why all the Questions asked regarding ministerial salaries were not given replies; and whether Answers can now been given.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Together with my original Answer, there is sufficient information in the public domain to answer all the noble Lord's questions. However, to expand the original response, if current unpaid ministers were paid for their ministerial roles the salary cost for these would total £764,299 per year. This breaks down as £62,175 cost for the three unpaid Commons Ministers and £702,124 for the 10 unpaid Lords Ministers.
	There are 92 paid Ministers drawn from the House of Commons. Information concerning MPs' salaries can be found in the House of Commons Standard Note (reference SN/PC/05837). It can be found in the House of Commons Library and at the following address: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/ lib/research/briefings/snpc-05837.pdf.
	There are 16 paid Ministers drawn from the House of Lords. Information concerning the House of Lords daily attendance allowance can be found in the latest Guide to Financial Support for Members on the House of Lords website: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/ lords-information-office/2012/Guide-to-Financial-Support-for-Members-2012.pdf.

Internet: Broadband

The Duke of Montrose: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Garden of Frognal on 26 March (WA 212), whether any minimum mobile broadband coverage obligation will be stipulated for those living in the Highlands and Northern Ireland.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom).
	In its recent consultation on the award of the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum, Ofcom invited stakeholder views and evidence on the merits of requiring any 800MHz licensee with a coverage obligation to provide a certain minimum level of coverage in each nation of the UK, as well as across the UK as a whole. Ofcom suggested that the appropriate level for such an obligation might be to cover an area within which 95% of the population of each nation lives. Ofcom also consulted on two options for an extended UK-wide coverage obligation. The first would require the licensee to provide a 4G mobile data service to an area within which at least 98% of the UK population lives. The second would require the licensee to provide the specified mobile data service with coverage comparable to the combined mobile voice coverage of today's 2G networks and in addition to provide the same service with coverage comparable to that of the additional mobile voice coverage achieved through the Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP), in those areas where MIP infrastructure is capable of supporting a 4G mobile data service.
	Ofcom has received over 40 responses to this consultation, which it is currently analysing. Ofcom intends to decide on these issues and publish a statement in July.
	In October 2011, the Government announced £150 million in capital expenditure to improve mobile coverage and quality. This is the Mobile Infrastructure Project. This project is being run by Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The budget announcement follows on from that initial announcement.
	The Department is working with other government departments, including DEFRA, with Ofcom and with industry to develop the most effective solution to extend mobile coverage to 60,000 rural homes and along key A roads. We are also engaging with the devolved Administrations to ensure that local interests are taken into consideration. We expect to begin the procurement by spring 2012, and the project to be completed by 2015.

NHS: Pay

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require universities and NHS trusts to disclose their policies relating to high pay, low pay and pay ratios, as local authorities are now required to do.

Lord De Mauley: Universities, as autonomous and independent employers, are responsible for developing their own pay polices and determining whether these are disclosed.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England, through its accounts direction, requires the universities it funds to publish in their accounts the actual total remuneration of the head of institution including bonuses and the remuneration of higher-paid staff in bands of £10,000 from a starting point of £100,000.
	Pay of most staff in NHS trusts is determined in accordance with published national pay systems. NHS trusts have freedom to determine their own policies for the pay of their most senior managers and are required to disclose a statement of this policy in their annual accounts. The Department of Health's directions to NHS organisations on the content of annual accounts have been amended to include the requirement to report the ratio between the mid-point of the highest paid director and the median remuneration of the organisation's staff. NHS organisations must also disclose in their accounts the banded total remuneration of all their directors, including separately all bonuses or performance-related pay.

Pensions

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the remarks by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Danny Alexander, on 10 February concerning higher rate tax relief on pensions contributions were compatible with the obligation set out in Section 2.1 of the Ministerial Code (collective responsibility).

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: I refer the noble Lord to the Budget Statement made on 21 March by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which make clear the Government's policy in this area.